1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image processing apparatuses, control methods for image processing apparatuses, programs, and storage media.
2. Description of the Related Art
Barcode images and two-dimensional code images, which are black-and-white images, are generally known.
Such barcode images and two-dimensional images are generated by coding information. Images generated by coding information are referred to as code images herein.
In addition, a technology for scanning code images by bringing a reader close to the code images and for acquiring information from digital data obtained by the scanning is known.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are illustrations for explaining such a coding technology.
Referring to FIG. 1A, an original image 1 includes a code image, a character image, which is “Title”, and a black-line image. The original image 1 is a sheet, not digital data.
When a user places the original image 1 on a scan plate of a multifunction machine 2 and gives an instruction for scanning, the multifunction machine 2 performs scanning on the original image 1 and obtains digital data by the scanning. In addition, the multifunction machine 2 recognizes that a code image is contained in the digital data and extracts the code image. Moreover, the multifunction machine 2 decodes the extracted code image to acquire information. If the acquired information is character information, the multifunction machine 2 converts the character information into a character image and prints out the character image. A sheet 3 is printed out. The sheet 3 includes a character image, which is, for example, “Performance of Company A in This Year”, as shown in FIG. 1A. That is, it is clear that the code image contained in the original image 1 is an image generated by coding character information, which is “Performance of Company A in This Year”.
In contrast, if the acquired information is image information, the image information is printed out. Referring to FIG. 1B, a sheet 13 is printed out. The sheet 13 contains an image representing a picture of fireworks. That is, the code image contained in an original image 11 is an image generated by coding image information representing the picture of fireworks.
Technologies for coding information and acquiring information from a code image are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 10-224540 and 2001-344588.
However, when an original image containing a code image is lossy-compressed in a multifunction machine, the image quality of the code image is deteriorated. Thus, due to the deterioration of the image quality of the code image, information contained in the code image may not be able to be acquired.
Under such circumstances, performing storage processing such that information can be accurately acquired later and reducing the data size of an original image are desired.